XCPro40 - how do I add text to an existing document?

[pmazurk]

Using VB.Net -
Is there any way other than with watermarks and annotations to add text to an existing PDF with XCPro40? We get PDFs in from clients, and I need to mark each page with an ID number.

Alternatively, can I open an existing PDF with PXCLib40? I can see how I can add the text there.

Thanks -

[John - Tracker Supp]

Pxclib40 can only be used to create new pages/files - not modifying existing pages files.

You must therefore use the functions available in XCPRO40 and usually watermarks or annotations are the best way to go - you dont say why these dont suit and a watermark is ideal I would have thought for this purpose ...

In version 5 coing later this summer - the functionality of PXCLIB40/XCPRO40 and to some degree the Viewer will all be merged into one set of 'layered' functions available for both page/file creation and modification - provided you hold the required licensing etc for each component.

[pmazurk]

I'll see if I can make a watermark work. I haven't found annotations workable because (1) I need the ID number visible at all times, not just when you click the annotation, and (2) annotations can be removed in Adobe Reader X.

Do you have an ETA on the new version yet?

Any suggestions welcome. Thanks for the help.

[John - Tracker Supp]

Hi,

with regards ETA - this is not possible I am afraid - every product in our PDF lineup is being 100% revised this summer - the first products released will be our end user: PDF-XChange Viewer (very shortly), then the PDF-XChange Driver and finally the PDF -Tools with the develoepr SDK variants following after intial settling down periods to allow us to correct and refine each.

I suspect it wioll be late summer/Autumn at the earliest before you see the new libraries.

With regards annotations - it depends on the annotation type as to whether it needs 'Clicking' or not and you can 'Flatten' annotations to avoid the possibility of removal if using our Viewer ActiveX - though I would still suggest watermarks as being a flexible solution.

You also have the option to add headers or footers too ...

[pmazurk]

Having a problem with PlaceType_Range in PXCp_AddWatermark. If I use that setting, and set m_NumRanges to 1 and m_Range to the first element of a 2-element array (aPages(0)) I get an Access Violation error saying I'm trying to access protected memory. Is this functionality supported in VB.Net? If I change to PlaceType_FirstPage and pass null to m_NumRanges the code executes fine. I need a different watermark on each page so I'm calling AddWatermark once per page.

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello pmazurk,

Before asking our devs to check this, could you please ensure that you are using the latest builds of our SDKs - the current latest is build 195, and if you are - please post a snipped showing how you are trying to place the watermark.

Best,
Stefan

[pmazurk]

Looks like I'm using 193. I'll download the updates and try it again. Thanks -

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

You are welcome pmazurk,

Please let us know how it goes with the latest version!

Best,
Stefan

[pmazurk]

I updated the files and still no luck.

I modified the frmWatermark files from the demo in the PDF-Tools 4 SDK\Examples\SDKExamples\VBNetExamples\PXCProDemo folder to include a Page Range option. I get the same error so it should be useful for finding the problem. The modified files are in the attached zip.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

HI pmazurk,

we will investigate what is the issue with using PXCp_AddWatermark and VB.net We have opened a Support Request Ticket to track the progress of this: RT#1101: XCPro40 - how do I add text to an existing document?

In the meanwhile you might want to look into creating a new document of the same number of pages with the content you want to add then use pxcp_placecontent to combine them.

hth

[pmazurk]

Hi Paul - any update on this?

Thanks -

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello pmazurk,

I am afraid that there is no new info in the ticket.
I have noted your update in there, and we will post here as soon as our devs get the chance to investigate this.

Best,
Stefan

[Corwin - Tracker Sup]

Hello pmazurk,

Please note, that you cannot pass managed array to unmanaged code. To pass pages array you need to convert it to unmanaged byte array:

Code: Select all

 Dim aPages(2) As Integer
 aPages(0) = CInt(txtStartPage.Text)
 aPages(1) = CInt(txtEndPage.Text)
 With theWatermark
     .m_NumRanges = 1
     .m_Range = System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.AllocHGlobal(System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.SizeOf(aPages(0)) * aPages.Length)
     System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.Copy(aPages, 0, .m_Range, aPages.Length)
     .m_PlaceType = XCPro40_Defs.PXC_WaterPlaceType.PlaceType_Range
 End With

and don't forget to free memory in the end:

Code: Select all

Marshal.FreeHGlobal(theWatermark.m_Range);

HTH

[pmazurk]

Corwin - that's perfect. Thanks for the help.

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello pmazurk,

Shall we consider the ticket resolved then?

Best,
Stefan

[pmazurk]

yes. Please consider this ticket closed.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi pmazurk,

that's great to hear. I have closed the ticket.

regards